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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22718443">Quality Kneazle Time by pookha</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/dark_pookha/pseuds/dark_pookha'>dark_pookha</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 15:29:35</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,148</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22718443</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/dark_pookha/pseuds/dark_pookha</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Quality Kneazle Time by pookha</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    
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<p></p><div class="content">
<p></p><div><p>"Hermione!" Ron yelled just after he Apparated. "You home?"</p></div><div class="chapter"><p> </p><p>When no answer came he sighed, kicked off his shoes, and made his way to their bedroom, stripping off his Silver Auror robes on the way. Dark sweat circles stood out from his armpits and the small of his back. He yanked his shirt off and threw it in the hamper.</p><p> </p><p>"So tired of this," he sighed. "She's never home when I get home. I'm never home when she's home." He sat on the bed and stripped off his trousers and pants, a small grunt escaped him when he had to bend over to get his socks.</p><p> </p><p>He started to get up, and a fat orange paw reached out from under the covers of the bedspread and tapped him.</p><p> </p><p>"Merp?" Crookshanks's voice came unquestionably questioning from a lump that Ron hadn't noticed.</p><p> </p><p>"Yeah, all right, Crookshanks." Ron lifted the bedspread and Crookshanks moved stiffly from under it. He was starting to show his age now with white under his chin and on his tail that hadn't been there when he was younger. Ron let Crookshanks sniff his hand before he scratched him under the chin.</p><p> </p><p>Crookshanks's rumbling purr filled the room and Ron immediately felt a little better. At first when he and Hermione had moved in together (and later married), Crookshanks had been dubious about Ron. He'd known him from before, obviously, but he never seemed to warm to Ron. It had taken a lot of work on Ron's part for them to come to this detente.</p><p> </p><p>"Do you have food and water?" Ron asked and Crookshanks eased his way off the bed, his stiffness showing even more as he didn't leap down like he used to. Ron stood and followed Crookshanks into the kitchen, watching Crookshanks's tail waving in the air.</p><p> </p><p>"Ergh, that water looks nasty," Ron said, dumping the dish into the sink. He started to refill it from the sink, but Crookshanks tapped him on the ankle, not hard, but with claws out.</p><p> </p><p>"Rowrrr!"</p><p> </p><p>"Sorry, I forgot. <em>Aguamenti."</em> Fresh water spilled from his wand into the dish. After he sat it down, he dumped the last half-eaten kibble bits from Crookshanks's bowl into the bin and then refilled that too. He opened the fridge and took out a piece of ham and split it in two. He stuffed one half in his mouth, then dropped the other half in Crookshanks's dish.</p><p> </p><p>"Don't tell Hermione, okay? Us gingers have to stick together." Ron laughed as Crookshanks gobbled down the ham slice and then looked around for more. Crookshanks rubbed Ron's leg and then went to drink. While he was drinking, Ron left and showered.</p><p> </p><p>He threw on fresh clothes and got a beer. As soon as he sat down to relax, Crookshanks came into the living room from the kitchen. Ron watched him as he slowly climbed the end table then the couch arm then onto Ron's lap.</p><p> </p><p>The purr started up again and Ron petted him gently on the back of his head. Any more, Crookshanks would try to bite if you petted near his tail or back legs. Even Hermione had gotten nipped. They'd had Luna in to look at Crookshanks and she confirmed what they thought: arthritis and maybe some joint damage from his weight. They'd put him on a better diet and Ron had promised to not feed him so many snacks (even though the snacks were part of what had won Crookshanks over). But now, Ron felt like Crookshanks should get all the treats he wanted, since his appetite was waxing and waning.</p><p> </p><p>"So, we've come a long way together, haven't we? At first I didn't like you; I thought you tried to eat Scabbers, but you were just warning me. I wish I could go back and just and do all that over so we would have got on together right from the start."</p><p> </p><p>Crookshanks mewed quietly in response through relaxed, half-slitted eyes and kept purring.</p><p> </p><p>"Mind, I still think you're winding me up when you bring me a dead spider. You know I don't like them, don't you?"</p><p> </p><p>Crookshanks blinked at him slowly.</p><p> </p><p>Ron looked at the clock and sighed again. He eased Crookshanks off his lap and stood. Crookshanks slid over to the warm spot and snuggled down to sleep. Ron drained his beer and took the empty to the kitchen to throw in the ‘recycling.' When Hermione had explained recycling and how much Muggles wasted, Ron just shook his head in disbelief, even though he knew it must be so if Hermione said it.</p><p> </p><p>He made a sandwich. Thought for a moment and made a second which he wrapped in grease-proof paper. Then he got a biscuit and a mug of tea. He put it all into a bento box with a note he scrawled quickly. Then he Disapparated it to Hermione's office. He grabbed another beer and his sandwich and went back to the couch. He sat on the opposite end from Crookshanks so he wouldn't wake him. He fumbled with the television remote and finally managed to turn it on.</p><p> </p><p>A football match filled the screen and Ron shook his head at it. He had started to understand and appreciate it, but he still thought Quidditch was better. He flipped around on the channels until he came to a singing competition. He was in the second hour of the programme, dozing on and off when Hermione's otter Patronus appeared. At her voice, Crookshanks and Ron both woke up; at some point Crookshanks had slid back onto Ron's lap.</p><p> </p><p>
        <em>"Thanks, love for the sandwich and tea. I'll only be about another hour, Harry needs to talk with me about a case, and I just need to tie up some paperwork. Scratch Crookshanks for me."</em>
      </p><p><br/>
Crookshanks slid off the couch and sniffed the Patronus and pawed at it. He looked at Ron and mewed.</p><p> </p><p>The otter started to fade, then sprang back to full vibrancy.</p><p> </p><p>
        <em>"Oh, and make sure to check his food and water if you haven't already. Love you lots."</em>
      </p><p> </p><p>It disappeared and Ron reached over and scratched Crookshanks.</p><p> </p><p>"I do love you, you mangy old thing," Ron told him.</p><p> </p><p>"Mrowr!" Crookshanks said, which Ron took as ‘I love you, too.'</p><p> </p><p>Ron clicked off the telly, got up and did some stretches. He made sure to clean the kitchen and tidy the living room before Hermione got home.</p><p> </p><p>When she came in he greeted her with a long kiss, which she returned. When they broke apart, Crookshanks was waiting for her and she knelt to scratch him.</p><p> </p><p>"Was Ron good to you while I was gone?" she asked.</p><p> </p><p>Crookshanks twined around her hand and legs, then Ron's.</p><p> </p><p>"Yeah, we had some guys only time," Ron said. "Just us, sitting on the couch and watching telly."</p><p> </p><p>"Quality kneazle time," Hermione said and they both laughed.</p><p> </p><p>"Mrow!"</p></div></div></div><div>
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